Long-Run Effects of H-1B Immigration on the U.S. Economy (July 2026)

ryzvonusef

> ABSTRACT > We study the effects of H-1B immigration on U.S. industries that employ H-1B workers and their trading partners. Using a novel cross-industry design and the 1999–2003 expansion of the H-1B visa cap for identification, we find that H-1B exposure raised incomes for natives and pre-existing immigrants, with gains concentrated in non-STEM occupations. Income gains propagate forward through supply chains to downstream industries but not backward to upstream industries, consistent with a productivity shock rather than a labor supply shock. We find no direct effect on patenting, suggesting that productivity gains arise from better task execution rather than patentable invention.

seibelj

Like anything there is a positive and a negative. It’s certain many incredibly talented people immigrated to America with OPT and H1B. However I have observed abuse with my own eyes of H1B labor outside of the FAANG and similar all stars who don’t have leverage to switch firms within the law and have the money or corporate backing to pay lawyers to dot all the Is and cross all the Ts. Middle market firms love H1B because you get docile labor who don’t ask for raises. It’s market-warping and needs serious reform

y-curious

Paywalled for me

la64710

Is it still an issue after Trump imposed a $100000 fee for h1-b applications?

tancop

H-1B is not bad because its taking Americans jobs. Its bad because the rules make it easy to abuse workers by threatening them with deportation if they act up. Scrap the whole program and make it a lot easier to get normal work visa that are not bound to an employer.

socalgal2

Picked just 4 years? That sounds awfully sus. Like if you include 1998 or 2005 to the numbers still hold? How about 1990 to 2025? I'm not saying they are wrong, in fact I want to believe they are right. But so many econ papers are easy to tear down just by including a little more data.